Canva is a popular graphic design tool that allows users to create visually appealing graphic designs with ease. One of the features that Canva offers is the drop shadow effect, which is used to add depth and dimension to an image. In this article, we’ll explore how to create a drop shadow effect in Canva for images.
Step 1: To begin with, open a new design in Canva or an existing one with an image to which you want to add the drop shadow. For this tutorial, we use a real estate social media template.
Step 2: Select the image to which you want to add a drop shadow and click on the “Edit image” option at the top toolbar. On the left side of the screen, you see multiple options, including “Shadows” as one of the options. You may have to scroll down a bit to see the shadows option.
Step 3: Under Shadows, you see various shadow effects, including “Drop” as one option. Select the “Drop” shadow, and you will see the shadows control icon on the drop shadow option, as shown in the below screenshot. You need to click on the controls option.
Step 4: Now make necessary modifications to the drop shadow effect using these controls: Offset, Angle, Transparency, etc.
Offset: Shadow offset allows you to adjust the distance between the shadow and the text. This feature is particularly useful to create a more dramatic effect or make the shadow appear as if it’s coming from a different direction.
Angle: You can adjust the angle of the drop shadow to make it appear as if the light source is coming from a particular direction.
Transparency: Transparency allows you to adjust the opacity of the drop shadow. This feature is useful to create a more subtle effect or make the drop shadow appear more natural.
Blur: You can adjust the blur of the drop shadow to create a more natural effect. A higher blur creates a softer drop shadow, while a lower blur creates a sharper drop shadow.
Color: You can choose the color of the drop shadow to match the image or to provide a contrasting effect. You can select from the color palette provided by Canva or use a custom color by entering a hex code.
As you can observe in the above screenshot, you also have one more drop-down option above the offset option. You can choose exactly where to place the drop shadow effect from this drop-down. The options include bottom-right, bottom-left, top-right, top-left, etc.
Once you have set all the controls, click the “Apply” button at the bottom to save the drop shadow effect.
The image is ready with the drop shadow effect, as shown in the screenshot below.
The drop shadow effect in Canva is a simple but effective way to add depth and dimension to your images, making them look more professional and visually interesting.